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Compliments of 




£ 



The Charader of Presbyterianism / in 
Portions of Pennsylvania, a Paper, by 
Hugh Hamilton, M. D., Harrisburg, Pa. 




Delivered at Donegal Church, Lancaster County, 
Pennsylvania, on the Sixteenth day of June, 1 909 






A list of some of the LINE of Presbyterian CInirches. 

1684. Rchoboth, Delaware. 

1686. Snow Hill, Maryland. 

1692. Freehold, New Jersey. 

1694. Philadelphia, Pa. 

1704. Lewes, Delaware. 

1707. New Castle, Delaware. 

1709. Drawyer's, Delaware. 

1709. White Clay, Delaware. 

1709. "Lower Octorara," Month of Octorara, Md. 

1710. "Welsh Tract," Bncks Co., Pa. 

1710. Great Valley, Chester Co., Pa. 

171 1. Neshaminy, Bucks Co., Pa. 

1720. Upper Octorara. Chester Co., Pa. 

1720. Middle Octorara, Lancaster Co., Pa. 

1721. DONEGAL, Lancaster Co., Pa. 
1724. Pequa, Lancaster Co., Pa. 

1724. Leacock, Lancaster Co., Pa. 

1725. Derry, Dauphin Co., Pa. 
1725. Bath, Northampton Co., Pa. 

1728. New London (X Roads) Chester Co., Pa. 

1729. Paxton (near Harrisburg,) Dauphin Co., Pa. 

1730. Fagg's Alanor, Chester, Pa. 

V 1730. Chestnut Level, Lancaster Co., Pa. 

^733- Forks of the Brandywine, Chester Co., Pa. 

1733- Falling Springs, ( Chambersburg,) Pa. 

1736. Silver Spring, Cumberland Co., Pa. 

U37- Big Spring, Cumberland Co., Pa. 

^ "^737- Green Castle, Franklin Co., Pa., "Falling Spring." 

1738. Little Conewago, Lancaster Co., Pa. 

1738. Welsh Run, Franklin Co., Pa. 

1739. Middle Spring, Cumberland Co., Pa. 

1739. Rocky Spring, Franklin Co., Pa. 

1740. Doe Run, Chester Co., Pa. 

1740. Great Conewago. Adams Co., Pa. 

1740. Gettysburg, Adams Co., Pa. 

1741. Conococheague, Franklin Co., Pa. 

1742. Muddy Run ("Old Log Church") Lancaster Co., Pa. 

1745. Monoghan, York Co. (Dillsburg) Pa. 

1746. Sugar Creek, Mecklenburg, N. C. 
1755. Oxford, Chester Co., Pa. 

1755. Hopewell, Mecklenburg, N. C. 

1763. Little Britain, Lancaster Co., Pa. 

1763. Lancaster, Pa. 

1766. Lower Path Valley, Perry Co., Pa. 

1766. Path Valley, Perry Co., Pa. 

1766. Upper Path Valley, Perry Co., Pa. 

1770. Charles Town, Chester Co., Pa. 

1775. Cedar Grove ("Blue Ball") Lancaster Co., Pa. 






The Results of the Character of Presbyterianism in 
Portions of Pennsylvania. 




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HE consequence of the transplantation into Penn- 
sylvania of the persecuted but steadfast Presbyte- 
rians, who had fled from Scotland, for several 
generations, into Ireland; thence, ever west- 
ward, until they crossed the Atlantic ocean, mov- 
ing with continued industry across the Tem- 
perate zone of North America, has been the 
planting of Presbyterian churches, until in last May (1909) 
when "The General Assembly" of the Presbyterian denomina- 
tion met in Denver, Colorado, under the eastern shadow of 
'Tike's Peak," it was represented by thousands of persons of 
National importance. 

"How many Presbyteries are there in the United States of 
America?" More than in Scotland times over. 

We can only epitomize the material effects seen in 
Eastern and Central Pennsylvania; its significance is known 
by:- 

A line of tomb-stones. 
• A line of communities of the highest moral conduct, try- 
ing to convince and convert their neighbors by word and 

example. 

A line of churches, as stations, that followed their enter- 
prising march, developing a character which has endured, sur- 
vived and is represented in Donegal this very day. 

The first building of resort erected by the immigrant 
Presbyterian was the "meeting house ;" unlike New England, 
placing secular education before religious duty. The origin 



\ 



of this distinction between the Puritan of Middle England and 
the Presbyterian of Scotland was the method of their change 
to Protestantism. The Church of England separated from the 
Roman Catholic communion by the order of King Henry V'lII, 
entirely through personal and political reasons. This fact left 
the Church without a strong religious foundation for their 
action of protest, so they sought relief in the spirit of investi- 
gation instead of revelation, while the Knoxonian Galvanism 
was of a personal, convincing quality. The English Church 
desired better things, but could only grasp the speculative 
philosophy offered amidst the ritualism borrowed from Roman 
Catholic practices, which expressed itself in a true protest 
however, by the agency of a rigorously plain costume and 
primitive repressive rules, creating the Puritan, who was gov- 
erned solely through an individual congregational system as 
opposed to the Episcopal plan ; which course brought per- 
sonal antagonisms into prominence and narrow antipathies 
ultimately resulting in no faith in fellow or God. They wished 
by searching wisdom to find out God. 

• On the other hand the organization of the Scottish Church 
into Presbyteries broadened the view of Evangelical effort and 
effectiveness in its promotion ; because John Knox put revela- 
tion before knowledge ; while the other fell into the yet vulgar 
error of trying to place knowledge before God's word. 

The progress of the Pioneer Presbyterian, in the syl- 
van wilds of the grant of William Penn. is denoted by a Line 
OF Grave-Yards, each surrounded by a breast-high stone wall 
near an abundant spring. The wall was to protect the graves 
from desecration and to repel Indians when oft'ended by the 
settler in his work of making rude homes better than those left 
in Scotland and Ireland. 

When the wild Indian became too annoying the population 
lied to the church, and thence to the real fort or church grave- 
yard wall. The crude weapons of the Red man were no match 



for the firearms of the white man, the latter could injure at 
a greater distance. So these grave-stones are the whited way 
of our pioneer ancestors. These grave-stones are hues of 
truth and depict on their graven surfaces the names of some 
of those whose blood courses in our bodies who are here now. 

All names signify lives. The length and character of 
these lives are here shown in brief epitaph how their families or 
neighbors regarded them. Many humble ones are buried here, 
whose graves are marked only with a rude unhewn stone, or 
an initial letter or two ; but God's great judgment book re- 
corded their character whatever their reputation when amid 
their contemporaries. They came to the church solely from a 
sense of worship, to hear the word of God and to practice it 
in their lives, the convincing and converting Scripture alone 
containing the absolutely true elements of correct human life 
and endeavor. 

These names have made history, in opposing injustice by 
any ruler and forcibly supporting that opposition, still com- 
memorated and emblazoned in heraldry as the "bloody hand 
of Ulster." The earlier possessors of our names had shouted 
"The battle-cry of Freedom'' long before it was put into words 
of rhyme or tune of music. It rang in the glades of Scotland 
'"For God and the Covenant." Those voices cheered at the 
"Battle of the Boyne," re-echoed, after crossing the Counties 
Donegal, Tyrone and Fermanagh, in Donegal Bay, came toss- 
ing over the ocean, up the Delaware and Chesapeake Bays to 
fight the "Bad" Indian, to fight the French in America, saving 
the then Colonies as a Protestant nation. Can we keep it so? 
"Aye." That's a greater question now than that which gave 
birth to Hamlet's Soliloquy ! Again it sounded a deep Ameri- 
can Hurrah ! after it had administered a victorious rebuke to 
the English tyranny of George III, who had forgotten Oliver 
Cromwell. The same names on those tombstones glittered and 
gave their blood in the conflict of 1861, 



Vou remember McClcllan. Grant, Blair and Alexander 
(the same of the name that signed the "Mecklenburg" Dec- 
laration of Independence) and oh ! so many others. 

In Paxton Church graveyard near Harrisburg is this 
Epitaph, as an example of those in many old Presbyterian 
burial grounds : 

"In Memory of John Kean, Sr., Esq.. born July 5th, 1758 — 

died May 28th, 1801, 

*An Irishman by birth, 

An American at heart: 

He boldly fought for the Liberty of his Country.' " 

Observe he fought "boldly" and for "liberty," not glory 
nor honor. 

The peace-loving Friend in Philadelphia put the fear- 
less contentious Scotch-Irish Presbyterians to defend the 
border, then at Gap, just above Christiana, Lancaster County, 
against the turbulent tribe of giant Conestogas in the Town- 
ships of Paradise in the Pcquea Valley and then gave them 
the opportunity to convert Indians into "Good ones" by send- 
ing them to the "Happy Hunting Grounds" and by pushing 
them over the hills and far away to "Donegal." Here our fore- 
fathers stopped long enough to build a church. As an outpost 
it soon forced the Red man over the Conewago hills into the 
great valley of the Blue Ridge, where they followed, founding 
"Derry" and "Paxton" and other Presbyterian churches ; 
onward down along its Appalachian foot-hills to Mecklenburg, 
N. C, where "seven Presbyterian churches" were established. 
These Presbyterians defied British domination on the 20th of 
May, 1775, before the Colonies grasped the true situation more 
than a year afterwards, on 4th July, 1776, in Philadelphia. 
President Taft on 20th of May, 1909, celebrated the anni- 
versary in Mecklenburg, N. C. Their impulse did not stop 



but went round the mountains into Tennessee and Kentucky, 
where their descendants of our names still talk the idiom of 
Knox. They are called "The Mountain White" — a distinct 
strain — neither master nor slave, subject to no man and little 
law — Independent ! He yet fights with his foe in primitive 
fashion "of no quarter." The frugal, peaceful German was 
close at hand, in the name "Mecklenburg." Both of these 
races were fleeing from too much government. The fiery Scot 
killed Indians there like he did squirrels, whenever he saw 
one. The German worked with patience the land which the 
Scot rid of savages. 

This Celtic blood was not very patient ; it chafed at re- 
straint. Here in Donegal it lived, worshiped, fought and 
died, leaving behind a posterity as ready for feud as ever, and 
more or less hampered with the consequences of rashness — 
debt. 

They did not like to labor too much with their hands, if 
their wits could save them from it, so many of them moved 
west after selling their possessions to their peaceful, indus- 
trious tenants, the Germans, over whose turnip and grain fields 
they rode recklessly to fox and hounds. But the Teutonic love 
of liberty was not less pronounced, though he did not em- 
phasize it like the Scot, with the active desire to make others 
comply with his vigorous interpretation of it. 

The attractiveness of Penn's domain to those who 
had suft'ered so much from the ruinous effects of the wars 
that were caused by the birth of the Reformation was made 
more so by the English attempting in New York and the 
Roman (Catholic) church in Maryland to found States upon 
sectarian views. The greatest freedom the United States of 
America enjoys is : The emancipation of church organization 
from the political organization, called government. This does 
not imply the separation of fidelity to God from patriotism ; 
they belong together of essentially different administrations. 



The Scot and Scotch-Irish liatcd tlie formal EngHsh church 
as well as the German of the Palatinate, who despised the 
Roman Catholic neighbor. They merely wished to worship 
in a manner agreeable to their own temperament under skies 
of a new firmament in America. Flowing from such a fur- 
nace of trial into these cool and shady valleys of Lancaster 
County, Pa., the calmer Scotch-Irish did not fail to be 
charmed by the round faces, cheerful ways and graceful per- 
sons of that sturdy Saxon pedigree, who became the Pennsyl- 
vania Dutch girls ; so married them. 

They could understand and speak English soon after 
marriage, beside were the means of more intelligent communi- 
cation with their German neighbors in many transactions of 
importance. They were and are now most excellent house- 
wives. They attended the Presbyterian services, and their 
children were retained by the Scottish pastors. At present 
they form a sterling individuality made up of Scottish, Irish 
and German descent, sometimes with a German patronymic. 
It contains the shrewd inventive mind of the Scot, the obstinate 
and quick temper of the Irish, the phlegmatic, philosophical 
mental German characteristics, determining its intensely re- 
ligious and patriotic disposition ; it is being moulded into a 
golden stream of character, hemmed in alone by time and 
sense. 

"Look back upon that way ; 

The mountains climbed, the torrents crossed, 
Through many a weary day. 

From this victorious height, 
How fair the past appears." 

They rest: 

"Under thy sod 

Earth received the treasure." 



Into: 

"That peace which flows, 

Serene and deep, 
A river in the Soul ; 

Whose banks a hving verdure keep, 
God's sunshine o'er the whole." 

Who were these that came through great tribulation? 
(The Black Oath, Sacramental Test. James II, &c.) A proud 
hot-headed people, logical; and not too easily convinced or 
converted, but when they were convinced their position was of 
a converting nature, that all met must agree to his way or he 
was not thought to be living as he should. Such was that line 
of lives of strong convictions and ungovernable prejudices, 
forming a desirable force on your side, that was a millstone 
ready to grind or drown one who did not coincide with it. 

How often did those toiling, loyal and loving Scotch-Irish- 
German wives and mothers say : 

"I'm so tired-like this night, 
I cannot think to pray ; 
And now, when I see the Lord Jesus, 
Whatever am I to say? 

I would not say a word. Dear, 

For sure, He understands ; 
I would not ever say a word — at all, 

But, Mary; — Just show Him your hands!" 

All the men had the "Davy Crockett" idea, "Be sure 
you're right then go ahead." Our Fathers, the old Pennsyl- 
vania frontier Presbyterians, never had but two words— Right 
or Wrong— No Compromise. The other fellow was assured 
by them that he could not be wrong! They left behind them 
a gloriously sanctified record and heritage of Christian en- 



deavor and personal narrative of imperishable fame — The 
Fame that is proclaimed by Gabriel's trumpet — Eternally. 

Not the Fame won by the National battles of the world — 
for the Scotch-Irish is not a Nation ; they placed "line upon 
line" of effort — "Precept upon precept ;" here and there ; little 
by little, arose logs and stones into churches, enclosed about 
with the substantial wall of the graveyard. In vision we see 
the row of gray eyes that looked over the graveyard wall and 
from under shocks of red hair, along rusty rifle barrels with 
flint locks, resisting the whooping Indian in war paint as they 
did the millinery of English Arch-bishop Laud's persecution. 

To the Death — Victoriously ! 
They planted this line of grave stones not only to cover their 
bones, but to make their virtues tangible then and hereafter, in 
venerated sanctuaries. 

"Donegal" has endured, survived, and is still estab- 
lished here ; ready and willing to convince and convert to Pres- 
byterianism all comers to its reasonable doctrines and un- 
adorned faith. 

What are the results of such a history ? That their 
names should live through time, legend and lore, producing as 
a primary evidence a great spiritual power, then a political one 
of no mean consequence and last, but not least — a local influ- 
ence that demanded and obtained leading recognition. 

The county of Lancaster in England was one of its chief 
Duchies, and now here, in among the rolling hills of Lancaster 
County, Pennsylvania, arose these lines of historic churches, 
occupying situations beautiful to admire and as admirable to 
defend. 

They nourished, bringing to perfection, divines of 
exceptional power ; they were the well spring of the life that 
gave rise to President Buchanan, "a gentleman of the old 
school ;" to the Honorable Simon Cameron, United States 
Senator, the "Warwick" of the policy and success of the 



United States of America for more than forty years ! Men, 
and such men as these, learned their "Shorter Catechism" — 
that Appendix to the Ten Commandments, which has stimu- 
lated lofty and laudable ambition^to die "For God, the Cove- 
nant and Country," and at the same time lent a certain stroke 
to the oar that safely propels the craft of human eternal ex- 
istence over the mythical but nevertheless unknown depths of 
our river Styx, — Death ! — to the other shore — to the Paradise 
on High. So we may write : — 

"O sweet and blessed Country 
Shall I ever see thy face ? 
O sweet and blessed Country 

Shall I ever win thy grace ? 
;fi|have the hope within me 
To comfort and to bless ! 
Shall I ever win the prize itself? 
O tell me, tell me. Yes !" 

"Exult, O dust and ashes ! 

The Lord shall be thy part ; 
His only, His for ever. 

Thou shalt be, and thou art ! 
Exult, Oh! Dust and Ashes! 

The Lord Shai,l be thy part ; 
His only. His forever. 

Thou shalt Be, and Thou Art!" 



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